Bellingham's Commercial Street Theatre Project

I had the pleasure of getting out of my swelteringly hot home and over to a reading of "Their Town", written by local playwright Steve Lyons and directed by Mark Kuntz, who is on the theatre faculty at Western Washington University and is also Producing Director at Bellingham's Mt. Baker Repertory Theatre. Mark has directed over 20 productions with MBT. He is the driving force behind CSTP and his passion for the project was evident when he delivered tonight's introduction.

Steve Lyons is an electrical engineer turned writer and is founder of the Playwright's Café., based in Berkeley, CA. His plays have won multiple awards and have been produced in London, Edinburgh, New York City, Philadelphia, Boulder, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco, Bellingham and elsewhere. Their Town is loosely based upon the events leading up to the financial meltdown of 2008.

Empty space is the prerequisite for all theatre. In this spirit, the CSTP team writes:

"The Commercial Street Theater Project (CSTP) is working to turn the empty shell at 1302-1310 Commercial Street, Bellingham, WA into a community-based performance/gathering space.

This space will provide an affordable arts venue and multi-use space to local organizations while expanding community exposure to regional and national performing arts groups looking for a venue this size."

I love this idea. However, as you might imagine, a lot of money (about $600,000+ to be exact) is required to retrofit the space into a 200-seat theatre. At this point, the group must have $300,000 raised by Wednesday, July 3, 2013 in order to move forward. Unfortunately, they are very far from their target. Those who have donated will get all of their donation refunded if $300,000 is not raised by July 3.

In a last ditch effort --- here is their IndieGoGo Fund Raising Page.

If you are willing and able to chip in any amount you can afford, who knows? Perhaps this community space can become a reality!

Exit, stage left!